Bells & Whistles—6/19/20
HEROES Act would do little for mid-sized transit agencies. House INVEST Act would bolster CRISI program. Austin’s Project Connect project is now up to the voters. Contractor on Purple Line project is
Intercity
HEROES Act would do little for mid-sized transit agencies
The CARES Act that was approved by Congress has helped transit agencies regroup from big ridership losses suffered during opening months of the coronavirus pandemic. The HEROES Act, a second shot of
Wabtec to implement PTC system for Virgin Trains USA
Wabtec secures agreements worth $120M to implement signaling and train control systems for Virgin Trains USA. The project is a unique high-speed signaling and train control application for the North America market.
Austin officials approve massive light-rail line, but will the voters?
The Austin City Council and Capital Metro are ready to move forward, but will the voters block their path? A $9.8 billion Project Connect system recommendation plan has been adopted. Officials are
U.S. Department of Transportation announces availability of $291 million for rail capital projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Grant Program (Partnership Program). The NOFO
Skanska to rehabilitate rail transit infrastructure in Northeast region for about $40 million
Skanska has signed a contract with Amtrak to rehabilitate and restore maintenance facilities for the Next Generation Acela 21 high-speed rail service in Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York. The contract is
Sunday Cinema: Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown project
Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown project reached a major milestone recently with the completion of the underpinning process at the Eglinton Station. A look at the progress of the Green Line Extension in Boston.
Sound Transit projects to lose $12B by 2042 as portion of tax base dies
The economic downturn in the Seattle area has put some businesses on a fatal downward spiral. They will not recover, and the loss has Sound Transit officials looking at a dismal future
Light-rail construction in Toronto continues to boom
The city of Toronto is continuing to ride the momentum of transit expansion. The Eglinton Crosstown light-rail project continues to make progress, and on June 2 the Ontario government signaled the start
RT&S Special Report: Railroad Cybersecurity – an interview with AAR
During the past several months, RT&S News has reported on concerns about cybersecurity in the industry. These concerns are not new, as they have been the subjects of numerous articles, speeches and
U.S. DOT to distribute cloth facial coverings to America’s transportation workforce
Today, the Trump Administration announced millions of cloth facial coverings will be sent to workers in critical sectors of America’s economy. Approximately 15.5 million will be sent to the Nation’s transportation workforce.
Rail Group On Air: Tweeting with a transit mapper
Railway Track & Structures Editor-in-Chief Bill Wilson talks with transit mapper and author Christof Spieler on transit systems in the U.S., Ottawa’s efficient passenger rail line, transit life after COVID-19, and more.
U.S. DOT announces $302.6 million in State of Good Repair grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced the recipients of more than $302 million in grant funds under the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership
Railroad employment continues to shrink
Since before the worldwide pandemic hit, rail employment levels had been shrinking for many months. Declining traffic volume, especially reductions in coal movements, were considered the key culprits. Now, add the horrific
Amtrak and PennDOT to restore Pennsylvanian and Keystone Service
In coordination with state partners at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, beginning June 1, Amtrak is fully restoring Pennsylvanian service (New York – Philadelphia – Pittsburgh) frequencies and Keystone Service (New York
Feinberg, Koos nominated to Amtrak Board
President Donald J. Trump on May 18 announced his intent to nominate Sarah E. Feinberg and Chris Koos to Amtrak’s Board of Directors. Sarah E. Feinberg, a Democrat, has served as Interim
Amtrak engineer Bostian’s case drags on – charges reinstated
After five years of criminal charges being levied then dropped several times, Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian is again facing criminal charges involving the derailment of Amtrak train 188 after a ruling by
Move to shut stations during Metro’s Silver Line extension will eliminate single-tracking
Washington, D.C., Metro announced it would be closing all of the Silver Line stations this summer. The move will help with phase two of Silver Line construction that will extend the route
MBTA’s accelerated work on Blue Line picks up more speed
With the goal of expediting safety and reliability improvements through a focus on core infrastructure investments, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced a 14-day full closure of the Blue Line between
Cyberattacks may threaten operation of rail freight network
Operating a freight railroad has always been a challenge. While the North American network is generally safe and well-maintained, there are multiple headaches to deal with. Maintaining a sound right-of-way to minimize